THE LIFE AND WORK OF J. H. FABRE.^ 



By B. L. BouviEK, 

 Member of the Institute, Professor at the Museum of Natural History, Paris. 



Fabre, the hermit of Serignan, called "the inimitable observer by 

 Darwin, and by Victor Hugo "the Homer of insects," reached the 

 age of 92 years in the radiance of an unsought fame that rose spon- 

 taneously from his work. He died where he had dwelt for a full half 

 century, and his last gaze has fallen on the foliage of that henceforth 

 celebrated spot, the rustic home of his quiet happiness, the peaceful 

 theater of his wonderful researches. Like his life, the dying vege- 

 tation of the field bursts forth into glorious colors before entering 

 into rest ; like his work, it will not cease to be vigorous and to produce 

 the richest bloom. 



The origin of Fabre, however, was very humble and his youth beset 

 with obstacles. Sprung from poor parents who had kept a modest 

 market at Saint-Leons in the Rouergue Mountain, he at once was the 

 toy of paternal vicissitudes that led him almost everywhere in the 

 Midi and finally to the Vanclusien country, which became his adopted 

 home. This wandering life was not at all suited to study. It pre- 

 vented his remaining at the College of Rhodez, where he paid for tui- 

 tion by rendering certain services and was thus compelled to educate 

 himself. He first entered the Normal School of Avignon. This was 

 merely the starting point, not the goal where he found his special 

 calling. As a primary instructor at the College of Carpentras, as 

 professor at the Lycee of Ajaccio, and finally at the Lycee of Avignon 

 he explored with an insatiable ardor every branch of human thought. 

 He soon became familiar with the ancient languages, and mathe- 

 matical and physical sciences divulged their secrets to him. He re- 

 ceived diploma after diploma, and became the doctor of sciences, 

 laureate of the institute. He was a wonderful teacher. Students 

 were spellboimd by his words, and he attained unparalleled success in 

 the free courses of secondary instruction established by him for the 

 young girls at Avignon. But he was considered a peculiar person, 

 wrapped up in his own researches, and, d espite his success, his 



1 Translated by permission from Revue g^ndrale des Sciences. Paris, Nov. 30, 1915. 



587 



